I had an action item from the May 7 telcon to note one of the three
mentioned positions on whether SOAP should be viewed as subsetting
XML.
This position is that SOAP certainly constrains a class of XML
documents (SOAP envelopes). It not only constrains its own use of XML
features, but also those of the applications which it supports. This
is not a simple case of an application choosing to restrict itself,
since SOAP is instrumental in the construction of customized
application protocols. In this middleware role, it is also imposing
constraints on the class of XML fragments which those application
protocols may wish to utilize. It is hard for a layman not to
conclude that SOAP has established a subset of XML. (It is easier for
a SOAP philosopher, however. ;-) )
Mark A. Jones
AT&T Labs -- Strategic Standards Division
Shannon Laboratory
Room 2A02
180 Park Ave.
Florham Park, NJ 07932-0971
email: jones@research.att.com
phone: (973) 360-8326
fax: (973) 236-6453